KATHMANDU: Artists often get inspired from the things and incidents around them. No matter of what age they are, their works reflect social reality.

In Alfresco Open Art Exhibition cum Competition 2015 too, aspiring artists — that comprised students from primary to Bachelor’s level — along with professional artists reflect the current scenario of our society — the crisis of petroleum products and other goods, unstable politics, and other problems created by blockade through their paintings.

Seventh-grader Aastha Shrestha has painted a man in formal attire, of suit, coat, pant, tie, and shirt, cooking food on firewood. The LPG cylinder on the other side has been placed upside down symbolising empty cylinder.

Artist Sundar Lama has also portrayed the similar reality, but in a different fashion. In his painting, Lord Ganesh (as a human child) is sitting on a pink lotus petal while his both hands are on his cheek. Adjacent to Lord Ganesh, his bahan (vehicle) mouse is pushing the empty gas cylinder.

Then there was a performance art Nakabandi -2.5 put forth by Lama and Sarwanam Theatre. The performance held on the opening day of the exhibition on December 18 at Nepal Art Council, Babermahal too had a similar theme.

According to Shyam K Shrestha, Programme coordinator of the Alfresco Open Art Exhibition cum Competition 2015, more than 350 works are being exhibited where 74 works are of professional artists. Other professional artists taking part in the exhibition include Erina Tamrakar, Bipana Maharjan, Kishore Nakarmi, Raj Krishna Maharjan, Rabindra Shrestha, Laxman Shrestha, Asha Dongol and more.

About the ongoing exhibition Shrestha shared, “We have four categories — Primary, Lower Secondary, Secondary and college level. And the students have competed in their respective categories. They were not bound to any theme. On the basis of creativity and composition, the paintings were judged by artists Gehendra Man Amatya, Sandhya Regmi, and Surendra Pradhan.”

The winners have painted nature, Gautam Buddha along with communities facing difficulties due to earthquake, fuel crisis and blockade.

Shreeja Shakya, who won the first position in Lower Secondary level has painted the portrait of an elderly lady. The lady is an Aryan where she has put red tika on her forehead and a yellow shawl is wrapped around her head.

The exhibition continues till December 22.